


Firsts

by theoneandonlylittlebird



Series: After You Verse [2]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-29
Updated: 2016-11-29
Packaged: 2018-09-03 02:35:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8693032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theoneandonlylittlebird/pseuds/theoneandonlylittlebird
Summary: Belle and Rumple cope with the first day of school. Nothin' but fluff. Companion to After You but no need to read that first.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [joylee56](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=joylee56).



Rumple stood with Belle off to the side of the churning wad of other parents. The first day of Kindergarten would end in five minutes. They had decided, but not yet informed Laura-Belle of this, that a picnic lunch in Storybrooke Park would be the perfect way to celebrate this milestone. 

Neither of them had gone into work that morning. Rather they had spent the few hours between clenching each other's sweaty hands while tiny Laura Belle had mounted the steps to the school bus and this moment tripping over each other and muttering apologies.

"I think I'm going to throw up," Belle had said as the doors shut their child away from view and a choking burst of diesel enveloped them.

"You can have the downstairs, I'll be in the ensuite doing the same." Rumple had confided to her.

Only autumn could both threaten and hug at the same time with its changing leaves but gentle, sweater-like warmth from the sun. The food was perfectly packed and prepared. A glance at Belle told him she felt as he did. Her face was a perfect welcoming and anticipatory smile, except for the terror lines around her eyes. Her hand sweated as much as his. So he squeezed it.

"I love you, sweetheart." Rumple murmured to her.

"You too," she whispered.

A loud alarm went off from inside the building and Rumple's hand came up instantly, magic rushing to focus around his fingertips.

"Rumple!" Belle hissed at him, "Put that down."

She was right, it seemed. The children streaming down the steps were not screaming in terror but running toward their parents with excited smiles on their faces in a deafening cacophony of piping voices. He put his hand down and hoped no one had noticed.

Toward the back of the group they saw her, her little face anxious as it searched the noisy crowd. Rumple waved first but Belle joined him enthusiastically not a heartbeat later.

Laura Belle raced for their open arms. It made sense that she would be smaller than her classmates, with both parents being slight, but Rumple feared for a moment that she would be trampled before his eyes by other kids and parents rushing to embrace.

But at last she made it to them and he and Belle had their baby in their arms.

"How was your day?" Belle bubbled, "What did you learn?"

Rumple stayed silent for his part just hugging his family.

"You're squishing me, Papa."

"Sorry, little love," Rumple reluctantly let her go and only then realized his suit pants had been in direct contact with the dried leaves on the ground. When had he ended up on his knees clutching his daughter for all he was worth? How had that happened? Belle's fingers stroked his hair.

He stood, chasing whatever was left of his dignity and hoped the other parents were far too busy with their own progeny to notice a dewy-eyed Dark One. "Laura Belle, your mother and I have your lunch all prepared. We thought we'd take you to the park so you can tell us all about it while we picnic. Shall we go?"

"Yay, Papa!"

On the way to the car, Rumple let the melodic sound of Belle's voice sooth him. Did Miss Jasmine read any new stories? Were there finger-paints like Laura-Belle had hoped?

Rumple fell in love with her all over again on the spot. He reminded himself not to cling too tightly to Laura Belle's hand as they crossed the street.

A breeze lifted dandelion fluff away from his daughter's lips where she sat in the grass in their spot. And they had a spot just for them in this park. Storybrooke knew this and avoided it. He and Belle had not been the only parents with this idea, but no one bothered them. Eventually, Laura Belle would notice that the town gave them space. But hopefully not today.

With a snap and a pointed finger, lunch poofed into existence from the basket Belle carried. Laura Belle shrieked with delight, giggling.

Belle frowned at him.

"It's a special occasion, Belle, and the cost is small, I assure you." Rumple smiled broadly at Laura Belle, "Just for you, my precious daughter."

He knew he had won Belle over by the sidelong look she sent him whose smile was trying to be born.

Settled on the grass, Rumple set about serving his family, "So, any new playmates today?"

At that, Laura Belle's smile faltered, "Dunno, Papa."

Belle forgot all about the food and focused on their child, "What do you mean, my dear?"

"Well, I asked to play with some kids, but they said no."

"What?" Rumple tried to take the harsh edge out of his voice, but was only marginally successful.

"I asked to play and they said no." Laura Belle shrugged and squished a blueberry between her fingers.

"So what did you do then?" Belle's voice had always sounded like music to him.

"I saw this other girl with red hair playing by herself so I asked her and she said yes." Laura Belle sucked the mashed berry from her fingers and reached for another.

"What was her name?" It was a good thing Laura Belle was used to her father's direct moods by now.

"Robyn. She said, "more blueberries were inserted into an already full mouth, "she said they wouldn't play with her either."

He and Belle exchanged looks.

"How'd that make you feel, Laura Belle?" Belle probed gently.

"Kinda sad." She reached for her juice box.

Rumple ground his teeth audibly and Belle put a comforting hand on his knee, "I think it's good you played with Robyn today. I've found that it's easy to like people whom everyone likes. It takes courage and bravery to try to like other people, the ones that need it the most. You did a very good thing today, Laura Belle, do you think you'll play with Robyn again tomorrow?"

Rumple's throat had clogged and he could not speak. He gripped Belle's hand on his knee, but he left his gaze on their daughter.

"Maybe, I dunno. I don't know why Neal said I couldn't play." Laura Belle was wiggling a pickle slice.

Rumple found his voice then, "Not everyone is as brave as you and your mama."

Belle snuggled into his side and he leaned gratefully on her.

Thank the gods for Belle, she rescued the picnic with her well timed change of topic, "What was your favorite part of today?"

For some reason, shaving cream on her desk had been the highlight of his daughter's day. There were somethings that Rumple was quite certain he would never understand, but he very much understood not being the chosen playmate. Laura Belle was fortunate in that she had Belle for a mother because Belle would know what to do. She always did.

**Author's Note:**

> For Joylee56 for her wonderful TMI ask which is WAY overdue because I've been thinking this over so long. I hope it was worth the wait. She wanted to know how Laura Belle gets on with her classmates. This required quite a bit of reflection on my part to get it right.
> 
> Side note: This is so fluffy it would give the Easter Bunny cavities. I don't normally write much unrestrained fluff, but I hope it works out. Also, I'm not much of a kid fic person and I don't speak five year old. Please forgive me my trespasses.


End file.
